Sparks K9 Dog Training Blog

Every day I receive many phone calls and emails from frustrated dog owners with a common theme – “My dog is out of control, I don’t even know where to start”. The issues of concern range from housebreaking issues, excitability, nipping, jumping on people, dog reactivity, destruction/chewing, fence fighting, barking out the windows at everything, stranger aggression/reactivity, dog-vs-dog aggression inside the home, leash pulling, etc. Many of these households are chaotic at best, due to the out of control dog(s).

Dogs that are out of control in the home are typically even worse out in the “Real World”. Many dogs have developed such bad habits (think leash pulling, reactivity, leash aggression, etc.) that the owners rarely (if ever) take them anywhere. The easiest place to take control and deal with most behavioral issues is right in your own home.

The range of situations and personalities (dog and human) involved make a “One Size Fits All” approach difficult, but here are some very simple, nearly free and effective tips that can make a huge difference right away. Start working on these at home, where the environment is familiar and distractions are low:

Keep the dog leashed (attached to a person) inside and out – Tethering/Umbilical Cord Method. This will limit his options and allow you to guide his choices.

Crate the dog when you are gone or don’t have time to work/play with him. This will keep him from practicing behaviors you do not want.

Teach the dog to walk on a loose leash (there are many different collars/tools/techniques to help teach loose-leash walking). This is much easier to teach in low distraction areas, such as in your home.

Work on simple basic obedience commands (sit, down, heel, “place”/bed, come) several times each day. You can use his regular food/meals, praise and toys/play as payment: use a “Nothing in Life is Free” approach. Teaching dogs to have reliable obedience is not rocket science. It just requires clear instructions, good timing, motivation and consistency. Short sessions (10-15 minutes) or just integrating the training into your daily routine makes training more productive and less of a chore.

Why Keep Your Dog On-Leash?Having your dog tethered to you with a leash (often referred to as the Umbilical Cord Method) will instantly limit his options and allow you to give him feedback (information) to guide his choices. When your dog is not on leash, he should be crated or kenneled; this is a proactiveapproach (preventing undesireable behaviors and creating a learning environment). Allowing an untrained or poorly behaved dog too much freedom in the house, or even in your fenced yard, is a sure-fire recipe for chaos in your home, requiring you to have to take a reactiveapproach (chasing him down, yelling at him, punishing him out of frustration, etc).

When I am working with a new Board & Train dog, they are on leash with me or crated/kenneled, until they prove to me that they can be trusted to follow the rules. We don’t go out to train in public or distracting environments until we have the basics covered. Having the dog tethered to me has a lot of learning benefits for the dog, as well as being a preventive measure against potential problem behaviors during the training process. Corrections are minimal and learning is optimal.

Benefits of Tethering:

The dog learns to be attentive to your movements and follow you wherever you go. He will also learn to relax whenever you stop/sit down. A dog that learns to relax tends to be much calmer than a dog that is allowed to run around non-stop, looking for something to chase, bark at or get into.

Tethering is especially helpful in potty training and early learning for puppies. Puppies learn about life from the life experiences we allow them to have. If we allow them to roam about the house pooping and peeing wherever they choose, chew on/ingest inappropriate items, chase the children, get on the furniture, etc., that is what they will continue to do.

You get a chance to work on loose leash walking and basic obedience commands in a familiar and low-level distraction environment, with a captive audience. A dog that can’t walk a loose leash and perform simple basic obedience commands in your home certainly won’t be able to perform these basic tasks when there are “Real World” distractions competing for your attention.

How Long Should Your Dog Be On-Leash?You won’t need to have your dog tethered to you forever, but if you are bringing a new dog or puppy into your home, or are looking to end the chaos your dog is currently creating in your home, these tips are a great place to start.

Once your dog starts to understand the rules of your house and learns to be calm, attentive and obedient, you can drop the leash and let him drag it (this is the testing period where he can show you that he can behave appropriately when not under your direct control). After the dog shows you that he can consistently behave while dragging the leash, you are probably ready to remove the leash altogether.

I have had dogs “get it” as soon as only a few days, and others that required months of tethering before they could be trusted off-leash inside the home.

Follow these tips religiously, and you will quickly be on your way to a calm and relaxed home where you can actually enjoy spending time with your dog(s). Setting clear boundaries and having higher expectations for your dog's behavior is up to you, the pack leader.

Remember: The more your show your dog what TO do, the less you will need to tell him what NOT to do. ~ Happy Training!